Rent is a musical that I had heard about long before I finally decided to watch the film. For one thing, my mother is a huge fan of Rent and would often sing "Seasons of Love" and "La Vie Bohème" around the house. I had heard different things about the movie - however. Some people love it and some people hate it with a burning passion. Deciding I would give it a chance (and considering it's leaving Hulu in a few days), here's my thoughts on Rent.I'm gonna start with the positives because if I were to get into the negatives first, you would all think I absolutely hated this movie. First things first - Jesse L. Martin is the MVP of this entire movie. He delivers a damn near Oscar-worthy performance throughout the entire film but especially during the event that happens towards the end of the movie. I was also a fan of Wilson Jermaine Heredia and Tracie Thorns's performances as well - they did a great job.I wasn't a huge fan of every song, but there were some that I liked, like "Seasons of Love," "La Vie Bohème," and "Tango: Maureen." A big part of why I ended up watching the whole movie (instead of just skipping) was Chris Columbus's direction. He directs every big number, like "La Vie Bohème," the title track "Rent," and "Take Me or Leave Me," and makes them extremely interesting. I almost wonder how they looked on the stage, because they sure didn't have the intriguing camera direction.Here's my biggest problem with the movie up front: the story. Listening to the soundtrack alone is fine enough, but once you put the music to the movie, it just all crumbles. Stephen Chbosky is the screenwriter and I don't think he's to blame. He's directed and written The Perks of Being a Wallflower (one of my favorite movies) and written the latest Beauty and the Beast (which I also liked), so I know he's not that bad. It's the musical itself that is the problem.The original writer of the musical, Jonathan Larson, died shortly before the show made it's Off-Broadway premiere. And while that is a tragedy, I believe that actually has some part to play in the problems this show has. Hear me out. When a show goes Off-Broadway, typically, before it goes to Broadway, it has changes done and some of the kinks are ironed out. They didn't change the show at all when Jonathan Larson died, because they wanted to honor his memory, and that's where the underlying problems lie.Another problem with the story itself is that it focuses on the two blandest characters in the entire movie. Anthony Rapp plays Mark Cohen, an aspiring filmmaker, and Adam Pascal plays Roger Davis, a struggling musician. These two are really uninteresting, and the relationship Roger starts up with Mimi (played by Rosario Dawson) is unbelievable and honestly ridiculous when you consider Roger is a recovering addict and Mimi is a current user. All of their songs seem to just take up more and more time as the movie continues, and the film's finale even revolves around them!In 1996, I'm sure this musical was important. It was probably the first huge statement about LGBT people and also the AIDS epidemic. And look, I'm gay, I completely stand with everything the musical tries to get across. But the problem is that in today's world, over 20 years after the musical first premiered, there is much better representation of LGBT people to be seen. I appreciate that Collins and Angel are able to have a relationship, and you don't even really realize Collins is gay at first (same cannot be said for Angel), but almost everything else they try to do doesn't work.Especially the entire character of Maureen (played by Idina Menzel). When the movie picks up, she has dumped Mark and is now dating Joanne Jefferson (played by Tracie Thorns). Mark makes Joanne realize that Maureen is a player in one of my favorite songs: "Tango: Maureen," but then Joanne decides to even GET ENGAGED TO MAUREEN. AND THEN MAUREEN DOES IT AGAIN AT THE ENGAGEMENT PARTY. Of course, Joanne finally breaks up with her then, but god damn it does it infuriate me that the ONLY bisexual character in the movie is portrayed as if she can't keep her pants on for five damn seconds!Roger Ebert in his review of the movie says, "But if you stand back from the importance of Rent as a cultural artifact and a statement about AIDS, does it stand on its own as a musical? I don't think so." And I would completely agree. While there are some great numbers and great casting choices, the movie as a whole fails because there's not enough there to support an over two-hour movie. It also is a criminal misuse of some important issues, because some groups don't get a great representation, which is a real shame given the cultural impact the musical has had. Perhaps the musical works better, I don't know, but as a movie, Rent fails.

It's Christmas Eve, 1989 New York East Village. Mark Cohen (Anthony Rapp) is an aspiring documentary filmmaker. His roommate Roger Davis (Adam Pascal) was a rock star but is now withdrawn, recovering-addict, and suffering from AIDS. Their former friend Benjamin Coffin III (Taye Diggs) married rich. He is trying to evict everybody and redeveloping the building. Maureen Johnson (Idina Menzel) has dumped Mark for new girlfriend Joanne Jefferson (Tracie Thoms) and organizing a rally against the evictions. Mimi Marquez (Rosario Dawson) is a burlesque dancer who falls for Roger but he is still struggling with many issues. Transvestite Angel Dumott Schunard (Wilson Jermaine Heredia) finds Tom Collins (Jesse L. Martin) beaten up in an alley. They are both afflicted with AIDS.This is transferred from Broadway. As a musical, some of songs rock but most are forgettable. As a movie and as a story, this is kind of soapy. The characters feel very written. I see the characters rather as a take it or leave it proposition. I never got swept up in any of their stories but it is able to hold together. The actors are all solid. It is probably not my kind of material anyways.

This film is a musical journey though a bohemian neighbourhood, with most residents living their own dream but struggling to pay even last year's rent.Being a landlord myself, it makes me cringe when they sing about not paying last year's rent, this year's rent and next year's rent. Maybe that's why I never got into the film. I find the characters sing far too repetitively, with one message stretching minutes. I got it the first time, please don't repeat it for the twentieth time!The Broadway musical is about Aids, but in thus film adaptation it is sidelined by constant bickering and erm... very expressive and passionate communication. I just find the film really boring, which is quite unfortunate as I have heard so many good things about it.

I love musicals, I have seen a lot. But this one.... Holy guacamole, it has the worst cast i have ever seen! They can't act, and they don't sing well. Even if they had chosen great actors/singers, the music is atrocious, and the lyrics are even more.... with the exception of a few songs. The storyline is not well construct and kinda boring. I don't think it brings a good light on the subject it was suppose to talk about. I am amazed that it has a 6.9 out of ten... i guess i don't have the same taste as the rest of the world.This is definitely not a movie i would recommend to a friend or a customer ( i work in a Movie rental store).